Gerald Ryan has brushed off the huge impost allotted to Red Excitement on his return to racing as one of the hottest horses of last summer in Sydney looks to seal a trip south to Melbourne.
Red Excitement will carry 61 kilograms with Brenton Avdulla up in the third race at Rosehill on Saturday and won a legion of supporters for his swooping efforts down the outside when stringing together three straight wins earlier this year. But Red Excitement struck a tendon after his last win and will only return after 10 months off this weekend.
Asked about the impost, Ryan said: "He's sat four wide before and carried 61.5kg all the way around. The way the weight scale is now, it doesn't really matter.
"We gave him plenty of time out and if he runs well on Saturday he'll go to Melbourne because there's nothing here for him. I think the next available race for him in Sydney on Saturday would be the 1400 [metre] Carrington Stakes, which is basically six weeks away."
Tasmania calling
Country cups king Single Spirit, one of the most consistent horses in training, will go on trial for a trip to Tasmania as Ross Stitt readies another team for his annual visit to the Apple Isle.
Single Spirit has finished in the placings at his past seven starts, winning the Sawtell-Casino-Dubbo cups treble along the way.
Taree trainer Stitt has long been a supporter of Tasmanian racing and was first attracted to Single Spirit, a $55,000 yearling buy, when he discovered he was out of a half-sister (Stunning Spirit) to his grand galloper Youthful Jack.
"That's what attracted me to him and I did like the Not A Single Doubts as well," Stitt said. "He's matured and toughened up and he's not a bad bread-and-butter horse. I've got a very keen trainer in Tasmania who is very interested in how he goes on Saturday.
"I've got a three-year-old filly [Flying Seba] I might send down as well, [she] makes a return to racing on Sunday. That's in the back of our mind for those races in February."
Single Spirit will carry just 52kg with Samantha Clenton's claim when he resumes in the sixth.
Maiden anomaly
Punters could be forgiven for scratching their heads when stumbling across the form for Avonaco in the second on Saturday.
Chris Waller's gelding is officially listed as a winner on debut, but has raced subsequently - and been beaten - in maiden company at his next two starts.
The reason for the anomaly? Avonaco chased home the John Singleton-owned This Is Australia in his first race at Canterbury before the latter was later disqualified after being found with banned drug lignocaine in its system.
Stewards only slapped Conners with a $10,000 fine on Monday, amending the placings to gift the race to Waller and Avonaco, who steps up to take on a benchmark 72 race at Rosehill.
The son of All American will have the services of Hugh Bowman in the second.
